Tale of the Toddlers
by Musashisama
Summary: A strange occurence prompts Vegeta to ponder a recent event with unusual ears to listen.


JJ: Well, here's a new one! It's an idea that has been floating around for a while, and I decided to write this one. This one actually takes place in the same timeline as the Z Warriors ones, though with a small alteration in that Bulma and Chi Chi aren't quite as strong at this point. It takes place after the Cell Games saga, thus Goku's absence.

Disclaimer: I'll send you the memo if I suddenly start owning Dragonball Z.

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, there was a slight breeze, and Piccolo sat in a clearing meditating listening to the sounds around him and sensing the various different energies swirling around the forest. It was all very soothing to someone with as grim a mindset as Piccolo. It was only when an unusual spike in the energies around him appeared that his concentration was broken. On further investigation he found the interrupting energy spike to be Vegeta's. He focused for a moment in an attempt to discover Vegeta's destination, and was surprised to find he was moving straight towards him. Vegeta and Piccolo, while they hadn't always seen eye to eye, had come to acknowledge each other's existence and respect each other's abilities, but they didn't interact on a regular basis, and so Vegeta's apparent course towards him intrigued him. Piccolo directed his gaze to where he expected Vegeta to come from, and saw what appeared to be a glowing flare getting brighter and bigger. Before long it took on the shape of Vegeta. The saiyan prince landed next to Piccolo, who remained in his signature meditating position. Vegeta remained silent, merely sitting in front of Piccolo, and waited. For a time Piccolo attempted to continue to meditate, but the feeling of Vegeta's gaze boring into his skull forced him to surrender and with a sigh finally open his eyes, acknowledging his fellow warrior. For all intents and purposes, Vegeta seemed his usual calm but grumpy self. Piccolo, however, could detect the vaguest hint of excitement in his expression, the same excitement that came before a battle, only slightly different.  
"Something unusual happened yesterday" Vegeta said "I remember Kakarot mentioning once that you were somewhat of an expert in such things." This is the story of what he saw.

Vegeta started out his day normally. He got up before everyone else but the cook, who had learned long ago that Vegeta was a creature of habit who always required a "light snack" before training, and since Bulma's food is seen as poison by all those of Saiyan blood, his services were required in the morning. After his snack Vegeta immediately went to the gravity room, where he would generally train all day, only stopping for meals. His routine went south, however, when the gravity in the gravity room suddenly returned to regular Earth normal, and Bulma walked through the door, carrying four year old Trunks in her arms. Normally this wouldn't be a problem. Today however, Vegeta happened to be in the middle of leaping into the air to perform a flying front kick. Here's a physics lesson. A body in motion will stay in motion. Vegeta went flying up into the air and Bulma watched in amusement as he emitted a string of curses while frantically using his ki to prevent himself from putting a Vegeta shaped hole in the roof. He returned to the ground with as much dignity as possible and gave her a look that said 'you'd better have a good reason for interrupting my training woman'  
"Chi Chi's invited us for a picnic breakfast" she said, answering his look. He gave her a new look that said 'And this concerns me how'  
"The invitation, as always, includes you" she said "And you're going"  
His look changed again to say "Oh am I"  
"You're going Vegeta. You've practically become a hermit!" she said "I have no interest in going on a picnic" he said, speaking for the first time since she entered the room "Ah, but you see, I have an interest in making you go. You WILL be an active part of this family Vegeta." Bulma said. Vegeta scowled at her, but crossed his arms and looked away, signifying his acquiescence. She turned on her heel, but before she stomped away, she set the toddler in her arms down.  
"Watch him for a while, I have things I need to do" she said, giving him a look that said 'Go ahead. Argue with me. I dare you'  
Vegeta merely stared at the child, who was now clinging to his leg.  
"Great then, be ready to go in half an hour" she said, smiling brightly and nearly skipped out the door. Vegeta shook his head, and stared at the child.  
"Well then" he said. Trunks smiled up at him brightly. He smiled back. 

The Briefs family was assembled in front of the door. Vegeta was wearing a black sweater and kaki pants, which surprisingly Bulma had picked for him to wear, saying he should dress normal once in a while. Trunks, however, was not so lucky. She had dressed him in a pair of big overalls and a t-shirt. Typical baby clothing, right? Only, the overalls were bright orange and covered in little blue animals, and the shirt was pink. It hurt Vegeta's eyes to look at the poor child. He had attempted intervention on his son's behalf, but had only managed to save him from the hat that matched the overalls.  
"Alright then, now my boys are dressed, let's get moving, shall we?" Bulma said cheerily, leading the way out the door. Vegeta sighed and watched Trunks pulling at his clothes with a wrinkled nose.  
"Daddy, do I HAVE to wear these? They make my eyes hurt" Vegeta gave a sympathetic sigh.  
"Unfortunately, you do son" he replied. Trunks sighed.  
"Alright" he grumbled before following his mother out the door. Once in the plane, Bulma turned on the two.  
"Alright then, you know the drill. Vegeta, no challenging people to fight, especially Gohan. Trunks, no getting into mischief. If either of you tears or dirties your clothes, the usual punishments will be executed" she said. Both grimaced.  
"Now, let's go!" she said brightly, starting the plane up and taking off into the air.

"Alright, here it is" Chi Chi said, stopping the capsule car. They were in a nice spot under a tree, right on the border of the wilderness. She got out of the car and waited for Gohan and Goten before encapsulating the car and pulling out two more capsules.  
"Would you two please lay out these blankets?" she asked. Gohan nodded, and Goten pulled uncomfortably at his clothes.  
"Mom, do I HAVE to wear these?" Goten asked. Gohan looked sympathetically at his brother, who was wearing the same clothes he had worn as a little kid. Gohan was dressed much more comfortably in one of his favorite outfits, his Chinese style gi (the one he wore after he beat cell, only bigger of course.  
"Yes dear, your brother loved those clothes" she said. Goten looked at Gohan who was standing behind Chi Chi, shaking his head rapidly. Goten sighed.  
"Alright" he said, taking the blankets and laying them out while Chi Chi set out food. Lots of food. Bulma was bringing a little, of course, but Chi Chi made the bulk of it.  
"Gohan, when did you say you had to leave to baby-sit Marron"  
"Umm, Krillin said they had to leave by one, so I can leave around twelve fifteen" he said "Alright" she replied "How far away are they?" she asked. Gohan closed his eyes for a moment.  
"I'd say they're just a short distance away. But how can they find us? Has Bulma been here before?" he asked.  
"No, but she has the dragon radar" Chi Chi said, pointing to the four-star ball on top of Goten's hat. Gohan grinned.  
"Oh yeah" he said with a laugh "I forgot about that"  
"Alright then, here they are" Chi Chi said, pointing to the airship in the sky. It landed and Trunks hopped out. Gohan squinted.  
"Is that Trunks?" he asked "I can't see through the glare"  
"Gohan!" Chi Chi smacked him upside the head "Trunks!" Goten exclaimed, rushing to his friend. Trunks grinned widely. Next Vegeta came out.  
"Gohan. You're even weaker than last time I saw you" He said. Gohan grinned sheepishly.  
"I haven't had much time to train"  
"Oh behave!" Bulma scowled, jumping out of the plane. Vegeta's eyes fell on Goten, or more specifically, his outfit.  
'What a kamiawful outfit. Why do earth men allow women to torment their children in such ways?' he thought. Bulma, reading his expression and following his gaze, smacked him in the head.  
"Don't think that way!" she said.  
"Bulma! It's great to see you" Chi Chi said. Bulma laughed and gave her friend a hug, then looked to Gohan.  
"Gosh, kiddo, I take my eyes off you for a few weeks and you sprout like a weed" she said. Gohan gave the Son Family Grin™.  
"Now then, about that food" Bulma said "YAY!" the toddlers cheered. The group laughed.

Goten and Trunks chatted quietly, laughing and playing with small action figures, while Bulma and Chi Chi talked in a relaxed manor. Vegeta leaned against a tree, an expression of boredom on his face, while Gohan seemed pensive. Finally, Gohan stood and walked away. Vegeta watched for a moment, then turned away with disinterest, while no one else seemed to notice. Then, Gohan reappeared, wearing an orange gi. He turned to Vegeta.  
"Feel like a spar?" he asked. Vegeta raised an eyebrow.  
"If you think you remember how to fight" the Saiyan replied, pulling out a capsule and tossing it to reveal the armor. The women turned, leveling glares.  
"Vegeta! I thought I said no challenges!" Bulma shouted "I challenged no one!" Vegeta replied. Chi Chi rounded on Gohan.  
"What do you think you're doing"  
"Mom! I'm starting to get weak! I'm losing my edge!" Gohan replied "What happens if Earth gets attacked"  
"Someone else can handle it!" Chi Chi replied "Really? Who"  
"Vegeta!" she declared "So, what, you're going to leave the protection of the Earth and all its people to a "Super Saiyan monster who has no business coming anywhere near your family"  
"I-" Chi Chi felt herself losing the battle and earning a glare from Bulma "A what"  
"Gohan! You are not sparring and that's final!" Chi Chi exclaimed "Oh Chi Chi, why did you call my husband a monster?" Bulma asked. Chi Chi gulped "Umm"  
"Chi Chi"  
"Bulma, I"  
"Come on Vegeta" Gohan said, walking over to the Saiyan. Vegeta seemed to be shocked and Gohan picked up the armor and walked toward the forest. Vegeta followed.  
"Did your mother really say that?" he asked "Yes, some time ago. She said that Super Saiyans were monsters who really shouldn't interfere with her family, but it was in a moment of anger at my father" Gohan replied "She said that all Super Saiyans did was fight and train and eat and sleep, and they had stolen away her son and her husband, and Bulma's husband too"  
"Hmm" Vegeta frowned "Anyway, let's go a ways away, so that there's no danger of anything hitting them" Gohan said. Vegeta nodded and the two took to the sky.  
Goten and Trunks ceased their play and watched the two figures in the sky, then looked at the arguing women. Bulma and Chi Chi were gesturing wildly, words flying. All words' wings were clipped, however, as a large shadow fell over the two. A pack of T-Rexes. All staring down at them hungrily. Bulma shrieked.  
"Not again"  
"Goten, come!" Chi Chi commanded, taking her friend's hand and running toward the plane. It was smashed by a tail. They were surrounded, and Bulma realized her purse was still on the blanket, now blocked off. Her capsules were inside.  
"Run!" Chi Chi commanded, scooping up Goten and charging between the legs of a T-Rex, moving at high speed. The creatures became confused long enough for them to gain distance, Trunks and Goten carried by Bulma and Chi Chi. They then heard the sound of their feet following them and took off toward the hills. Chi Chi, being familiar with the area, knew of a cave they could make their stand.

Bulma stood worriedly behind her friend as Chi Chi watch the T Rexes coming up the hill toward the cave. Behind them, Goten and Trunks sat, looking frightened.  
"What do we do?" Bulma asked "I don't know. But Bulma, I didn't mean what I said. I was talking about"  
"I figured that, Chi Chi" Bulma cut her off "I just"  
"It's alright, I'm sorry" Chi Chi said "I'm sorry too"  
"Now then" Chi Chi reached into her pocket and pulled out a capsule "This is the only one I have on me" she said, opening it. A pair of guns appeared. She handed one to Bulma.  
"Why do you have THAT"  
"Present from Launch. She said every woman should have at least one" Chi Chi replied. Bulma laughed.  
"That's Launch"  
"Now then, let's handle these overgrown lizards" Chi Chi said. 

Vegeta and Gohan stopped short as they finally felt Bulma and Chi Chi's ki spiked in panic.  
"What's going on?" Gohan asked "I don't know, but I'm going to find out" Vegeta replied as he took off at high speed for Bulma and Chi Chi's location, Gohan following close behind.

Goten and Trunks watched in horror as the bullets were fired and teeth and claw and tail went against steel and iron. Bulma's gun ran out of bullets and she reached for more that Chi Chi had handed her, but was struck by a tail and sent flying, spitting out blood. Chi Chi turned to fire on another as she made her way toward Bulma, but teeth grazed her leg as a T-Rex snapped at her, leaving a large gash. She cried out in pain and fell, and the two were once again surrounded. Another pair snapped at her arm and she moved as best she could, but was still badly wounded. A pair of teeth came toward her head and Chi Chi covered her eyes, but a feeling of warmth passed near her face. She looked up and saw the legs of the T-Rex still there, but the rest nowhere to be seen. Goten stood defiantly, his arm outstretched, his eyes white.  
"Leave my mom ALONE!" the shout came and Trunks sent a blast to take out another T-Rex, one that had ventured near Bulma. Goten and Trunks then began to fire a volley of blasts, each obliterating a T-Rex. Above, she saw Vegeta and Gohan fly in quickly, only to stop short again as the two combined a blast to take out the last T-Rex, in the process ridding the world of the feet standing in front of her. The two then ran to their respective mothers, weeping. Vegeta and Gohan floated open-mouthed.  
"When did they learn to do THAT!" Gohan asked. Chi Chi, Bulma, and Vegeta shrugged.  
"I don't know, but I'm glad they could" Bulma replied. Vegeta scooped up Bulma in a hug and Gohan threw his arms around his mother and brother.  
"I'm sorry Mom, I shouldn't have"  
"You were right, Gohan. Training is important to you. I should have seen that" Chi Chi said simply "I want you to keep up with your training. Spar with Vegeta. As long as your studies don't suffer"  
Gohan stared at her with wide eyes.  
"Mom"  
"I'll just have to learn to live with it. It's amazing what you think about on the edge of death" She said. Gohan laughed and hugged his mother tighter.  
"I'm sorry to you too, Vegeta" She said. Vegeta merely nodded.  
"Well, I don't think the dinosaurs squished the pie, who wants some?" Bulma asked. The chibis raised their hands and waved them energetically.

"I see" Piccolo said, nodding "It would seem to me that Goten and Trunks possess the same innate powers that Gohan did"  
"So, they have potential"  
"Incredible potential" the Namek replied "I suggest you take an interest in training Trunks, I'm sure Chi Chi intends to do so with Goten.  
"Hmm" was all Vegeta said. He stood to leave and Piccolo did nothing to stop him as he took to the sky. He didn't expect thanks, and knew the 'hmm' was all he should expect. However, the fact that Vegeta had come to him at all was a sign that the man had changed over the years. With a mental to visit both Goten and Trunks, he returned to his meditation, the energies of the forest once again swirling around him.

JJ: Well, that's the end of that. Hope you enjoyed the story! I know I enjoyed writing it. 


End file.
